This document discusses flame photometry, which uses the intensity of light emitted from atoms in a flame to determine the concentration of certain metal ions. It describes the major components of a flame photometer including the sample delivery system that introduces the liquid sample into the flame, the source or burner that atomizes the sample, a monochromator that separates wavelengths of light, detectors that measure light intensity, and a read-out device that displays results. Common metals that can be analyzed using flame photometry and their characteristic emission wavelengths are also listed. Applications mentioned include determining sodium, potassium, calcium, and lithium levels in body fluids as well as analyzing metals in other materials.

1. FLAME PHOTOMETRY
 By: Yubraj Bhatta
 M.sc.MLT Clinical Biochemistry
 bhattayuvraj12@gmail.com

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INTRODUCTION:
• Flame photometry (more accurately called Flame Atomic
Emission Spectrometry) is a branch of spectroscopy in which
the analytes examined in the spectrometer are in the form of
atoms
• A flame photometer is an instrument used in inorganic
chemical analysis to determine the concentration of certain
metal ions like sodium, potassium, calcium and lithium.
• Flame Photometry is based on measurement of intensity of
the light emitted when a metal is introduced into flame.
– The wavelength of colour tells what the element is (qualitative)
– The colour's intensity tells us how much of the element present
(quantitative)

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Principle
• Atoms of elements when subjected to hot flame,
atom of an elements get excited and reach at high
energy state are unstable release energy as photons
of particular wavelength and return back to ground
state.
• When a metal salt solution is burned, the metal
provides a colored flame and each metal ion gives a
different colored flame.
• Flame tests, therefore, can be used to test for the
absence or presence of a metal ion

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5. INSTRUMENTATION:
THE FLAME PHOTOMETER

6. Major Components:
1. Sample
Delivery
System
2. Source
3. Monochromator
4. Detector
5. Read out devic1
e
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Schematic Representation of the Flame
Photometer

7. SAMPLE DELIVERY SYSTEM:
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There are three components for introducing liquid
sample:
• Nebulizer – it breaks up the liquid into small droplets.
– Nebulization the is conversion of a sample to a
mist of finely divided droplets using a jet of
compressed gas.
– The flow carries the sample into the atomization region.
– Pneumatic Nebulizers: (most common)
• Aerosol modifier – it removes large droplets from the
stream and allow only smaller droplets than a certain size
to pass
• Flame or Atomizer – it converts the analyte into free
atoms

8. SOURCE:
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• A Burner used to spray the sample solution into
fine droplets.
• Several burners and fuel+oxidant combinations
have been used to produce analytical flame
including: Premixed, Mecker, Total consumption,
Lundergarh, Shielded burner, and Nitrous oxide-
acetylene flames
• Pre-mixed Burner:
– widely used because of uniformity in flame intensity
– In this energy type of burner , aspirated sample , fuel
and oxidant are thoroughly mixed before reaching the
burner opening.

9. • Total Consumption Burner:
– In this fuel and oxidant are hydrogen and oxygen gases
– Sample solution is aspirated through a capillary by
high pressure of fuel and Oxidant and burnt at the tip
of burner
– Entire sample is consumed.
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10. MONOCHROMATOR
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– Prism: Quartz material is used for making prism, as quartz
is transparent over entire region
Detectors:
– Photomultiplier tubes
– Photo emissive cell
– Photo voltaic cell
Photovoltaic cell:
• This creates potential diffrence between the two electrode
and cause flow of current.

11. READ-OUT DEVICE:
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• It is capable of displaying the absorption spectrum as well
absorbance at specific wavelength
• Thereby minimizing the possibility of operator error in
transferring data.
Element wavelength Detection
limit
Element wavelength Detection
limit
Al 396 0.5 Pb 406 14
Ba 455 3 Li 461 0.067
Ca 423 0.07 Mg 285 1
Cu 325 0.6 Ni 355 1.6
Fe 372 2.5 Hg 254 2.5
Elements, their characteristic emission wavelengths and detection
limits

12. APPLICATIONS:
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• To estimate sodium, potassium, calcium, lithium etc.
level in sample of serum, urine, CSF and other body
fluids.
• Flame photometry is useful for the determination of
alkali and alkaline earth metals.
• Used in determination of lead in petrol.
• Used in determination of calcium and magnesium in
cement.

13. THANK YOU